About the Book
Readers of Sue Grafton's fiction know she never writes the same book twice, and "I" Is For Innocent is no exception. Her most intricately plotted novel to date, it is layered in enough complexity to baffle even the cleverest among us.
Lonnie Kingman is in a bind. He's smack in the middle of assembling a civil suit, and the private investigator who was doing his pretrial legwork has just dropped dead of a heart attack. In a matter of weeks the court's statute of limitations will put paid to his case. Five years ago David Barney walked when a jury acquitted him of the murder of his rich wife, Isabelle. Now Kingman, acting as attorney for the dead woman's ex-husband and their child (and sure that the jury made a serious mistake), is trying to divest David Barney of the profits of that murder. But time is running out, and David Barney still swears he's innocent.
Patterned along the lines of a legal case, "I" Is For Innocent is seamlessly divided into thirds: one-third of the novel is devoted to the prosecution, one-third to the defense, and a final third to cross-examination and rebuttal. The result is a trial novel without a trial and a crime novel that resists solution right to the end.
When Kinsey Millhone agrees to take over Morley Shine's investigation, she thinks it is a simple matter of tying up the loose ends. Morley might have been careless about his health, but he was an old pro at the business. So it comes as a real shock when she finds his files in disarray, his key informant less than credible, and his witnesses denying ever having spoken with him. It comes as a bigger shock when she finds that every claim David Barney has made checks out. But if Barney didn't murder his wife, who did? It would seem the list of candidates is a long one. In life, Isabelle Barney had stepped on a lot of toes.
In "I" Is For Innocent, Sue Grafton once again demonstrates her mastery of those telling details that reveal our most intimate and conflicted relationships. As Kinsey comments on the give-and-take by which we humans deal with each other, for better and sometimes for worse, the reader is struck yet again by how acute a social observer Ms. Grafton can be. Frequently funny and sometimes caustic, she is also surprisingly compassionate-- understanding how little in life is purely black and white. Except for murder.
Somewhere out there, a killer waits to see just what Kinsey will find out. Somewhere out there, someone's been getting away with murder, and this time it just might turn out to be Kinsey's.
"I" Is For Innocent is Sue Grafton in peak form. Fast-paced. Funny. And very, very devious.
About the Author :
Sue Grafton entered the mystery field in 1982 with the publication of 'A' Is for Alibi, which introduced female hard-boiled private investigator, Kinsey Millhone, operating out of the fictional town of Santa Teresa, (aka Santa Barbara) California. 'B' is for Burglar followed in l985 and the series, now referred to as 'the alphabet' mysteries, is still going strong. In addition to her books, she's published several Kinsey Millhone short stories, and with her husband, Steven Humphrey, has written numerous movies for television, including "A Killer in the Family" (starring Robert Mitchum), "Love on the Run" (starring Alec Baldwin and Stephanie Zimbalist) and two Agatha Christie adaptations, "Sparkling Cyanide" and "Caribbean Mystery," which starred Helen Hayes. Grafton is published in 28 countries and 26 languages. She loves cats, gardens, and good cuisine. Sue has a home in Montecito, California, and another in Louisville, the city in which she was born and raised.
Review :
Smart, sexual, likable and a very modern operator.--Dorothy Salisbury Davis on the Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries
What grandpa used to call a class act.--Stanley Ellin on the Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries
PHENOMENAL PRAISE FOR THE MYSTERY NOVELS OF #1 "NEW YORK TIMES" BESTSELLING AUTHOR SUE GRAFTON
PHENOMENAL PRAISE FOR THE MYSTERY NOVELS OF #1 "NEW YORK TIMES" BESTSELLING AUTHOR SUE GRAFTON
"Exceptionally entertaining...an offbeat sense of humor and a feisty sense of justice."--"San Francisco"" Chronicle"
"Millhone is an engaging detective-for-hire...P.I. Kinsey Millhone and her creator...are arguably the best of [the] distaff invaders of the hitherto sacrosanct turf of gumshoes."--"The Buffalo News"
"Once a fan reads one of Grafton's alphabetically titled detective novels, he or she will not rest until all the others are found."--"Los Angeles"" Herald Examiner"
"Millhone is a refreshingly strong and resourceful female private eye."--"Library Journal"
"Tough but compassionate...There is no one better than Kinsey Millhone."--"Best Sellers"
"A woman we feel we know, a tough cookie with a soft center, a gregarious loner."--"Newsweek"
"Lord, how I like this Kinsey Millhone...The best detective fiction I have read in years."--"The New York Times Book Review"
"Smart, tough, and thorough...Kinsey Millhone is a pleasure."--"The Bloomsbury Review"
"Kinsey is one of the most persuasive of the new female operatives...She's refreshingly free of gender cliches. Grafton, who is a very witty writer, has also given her sleuth a nice sense of humor--and a set of Wonder Woman sheets to prove it."--"Boston"" Herald"
"What grandpa used to call a class act."--Stanley Ellin
"Smart, sexual, likable and a very modern operator."--Dorothy Salisbury Davis
"Kinsey's got brains "and" a sense of humor."--"Kirkus Reviews"
Exceptionally entertaining an offbeat sense of humor and a feisty sense of justice. "San Francisco Chronicle on the Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries"
Millhone is an engaging detective-for-hire P.I. Kinsey Millhone and her creator are arguably the best of [the] distaff invaders of the hitherto sacrosanct turf of gumshoes. "The Buffalo News on the Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries"
Once a fan reads one of Grafton's alphabetically titled detective novels, he or she will not rest until all the others are found. "Los Angeles Herald Examiner on the Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries"
Millhone is a refreshingly strong and resourceful female private eye. "Library Journal on the Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries"
Tough but compassionate There is no one better than Kinsey Millhone. "Best Sellers on the Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries"
A woman we feel we know, a tough cookie with a soft center, a gregarious loner. "Newsweek on the Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries"
Lord, how I like this Kinsey Millhone The best detective fiction I have read in years. "The New York Times Book Review on the Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries"
Smart, tough, and thorough Kinsey Millhone is a pleasure. "The Bloomsbury Review on the Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries"
Kinsey is one of the most persuasive of the new female operatives She's refreshingly free of gender cliches. Grafton, who is a very witty writer, has also given her sleuth a nice sense of humor--and a set of Wonder Woman sheets to prove it. "Boston Herald on the Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries"
What grandpa used to call a class act. Stanley Ellin on the Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries
Smart, sexual, likable and a very modern operator. Dorothy Salisbury Davis on the Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries
Kinsey's got brains "and" a sense of humor. "Kirkus Reviews on the Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries""
Exceptionally entertaining an offbeat sense of humor and a feisty sense of justice. San Francisco Chronicle on the Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries
Millhone is an engaging detective-for-hire P.I. Kinsey Millhone and her creator are arguably the best of [the] distaff invaders of the hitherto sacrosanct turf of gumshoes. The Buffalo News on the Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries
Once a fan reads one of Grafton's alphabetically titled detective novels, he or she will not rest until all the others are found. Los Angeles Herald Examiner on the Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries
Millhone is a refreshingly strong and resourceful female private eye. Library Journal on the Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries
Tough but compassionate There is no one better than Kinsey Millhone. Best Sellers on the Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries
A woman we feel we know, a tough cookie with a soft center, a gregarious loner. Newsweek on the Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries
Lord, how I like this Kinsey Millhone The best detective fiction I have read in years. The New York Times Book Review on the Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries
Smart, tough, and thorough Kinsey Millhone is a pleasure. The Bloomsbury Review on the Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries
Kinsey is one of the most persuasive of the new female operatives She's refreshingly free of gender cliches. Grafton, who is a very witty writer, has also given her sleuth a nice sense of humor--and a set of Wonder Woman sheets to prove it. Boston Herald on the Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries
What grandpa used to call a class act. Stanley Ellin on the Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries
Smart, sexual, likable and a very modern operator. Dorothy Salisbury Davis on the Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries
Kinsey's got brains and a sense of humor. Kirkus Reviews on the Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries
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